Three Months Later, Shiba Miyako Has an Accident

Gaoyu still didn't answer, merely smiling as he looked at Rukia.

Seeing Gaoyu's smile, Rukia seemed to lose some of her confidence and sat up properly again, falling silent herself.

She liked to eat sweets, Byakuya liked spicy food, and every time they ate at home, the food was always sweet.

This...

What did it mean?

Big brother...

Was he actually concerned about her?

But...

Why?

Could it be that Vice-Captain Gaoyu was lying?

Rukia looked at Gaoyu, momentarily lost in thought.

"I'm Renji's good friend," Gaoyu said. "Honestly, I've seen you a few times, but every time I see you, you always seem so gloomy."

"You're Renji's friend, and I'm Renji's friend, so that makes you my friend, Gaoyu. I don't want my friends to be unhappy every day, which is why I'm telling you this."

Gaoyu continued, "Actually, in normal times, there's no need to block your heart. If you accept your identity frankly, you'll naturally notice the love those around you have for you."

After speaking, Gaoyu stood up.

He walked to Rukia's side and patted her shoulder.

"Ten minutes is almost up. Let's go home first, so your big brother doesn't worry."

With that, Gaoyu walked out of the room.

After settling the bill, Rukia also came out.

She looked at Gaoyu, who was standing by the door, walked over, bowed slightly, and said softly, "Thank you."

This time, Gaoyu accepted her 'bow' with ease.

He smiled, "Don't look so downcast anymore. See, if the stars were unhappy, how boring would this dark night be?"

He pointed to the sky.

It was already dark, and the weather wasn't great today. There weren't even many shining stars in the dark sky.

"..." Rukia didn't speak, merely watching Gaoyu wave goodbye before he left.

She also turned and headed towards the Kuchiki Family residence.

After leaving the Sixth Division, Gaoyu chuckled softly.

This was the benefit of doing his homework.

If he hadn't done his homework, how could he have precisely selected books for Nanao?

If he hadn't done his homework, how would he have known Rukia liked sweets and Byakuya liked spicy food?

Well, he had to credit his past life memories for this. After all, he was an ultimate Shinigami fan in his past life! He even knew the Kuchiki Family's private affairs.

Thinking of this, Gaoyu felt a surge of contentment.

As for how things would develop between Rukia and the Kuchiki Family next, he wasn't sure.

He only knew that Rukia's favorability towards him had now reached fifty-five, and he would soon receive a one-time 'Star'.

Gaoyu hummed a tune and returned home, letting time pass.

Three months later, Gaoyu had managed to raise Nanao's favorability towards him beyond sixty.

During these three months, Nanao had visited the Fifth Division library several times to borrow books, all recommended by Gaoyu.

Nanao's impression of Gaoyu grew increasingly positive. She believed that someone who enjoyed reading couldn't possibly be a bad person.

"I don't know what kind of magic potion you've given little Nanao. I, a dignified Captain, was told by her to 'learn from Vice-Captain Gaoyu properly.' It's truly embarrassing."

Once, while drinking, Shunsui Kyoraku couldn't help but complain to Gaoyu.

Gaoyu just chuckled.

Look at Nanao, who initially paid him no mind, now obediently offering her Soul Ability.

Give him a little more time, and Gaoyu was confident he could raise her favorability to eighty to permanently obtain Mirror Reflection!

But look at you, your favorability is stuck at fifty like it's cursed!

It was fifty three months ago, and it's still fifty now!

So ungrateful!

Later on, Gaoyu even looked at Shunsui Kyoraku with a hint of grievance, making Shunsui Kyoraku's scalp tingle.

However, the biggest change during these three months was White Hollow.

White Hollow had successfully completed its transformation and gained a very peculiar ability.

That was...

If a White Hollow kills a Shinigami, it will evolve.

It will not only become stronger, but also smarter.

His current Hollow hole has also been filled with a sarcoma that resembles a heart. It's unknown how many Shinigami he has killed.

Gaoyu has only seen the White Hollow twice since then. He only knows that Aizen does not keep the White Hollow permanently in the Human World. It occasionally travels to Rukongai to assassinate patrolling Shinigami.

As for Rukia, Gaoyu met her once when he went to the Thirteenth Division for a job.

Rukia thanked Gaoyu again, but Gaoyu had no idea what had happened in the Kuchiki Family.

He originally thought time would continue to pass calmly, step by step, until the events of the story unfolded decades later.

However, on this very day, as Gaoyu was heading to the Fifth Division as usual, he overheard people in the Fifth Division discussing something.

"Something happened?"

Gaoyu curiously leaned closer to Momo Hinamori.

Momo Hinamori was startled at first, but relaxed when she saw it was Gaoyu.

She said, "Yesterday, a Shinigami from the Thirteenth Division was attacked by a Hollow. Our people went to rescue them, but they all perished as well."

Gaoyu was a bit surprised. "This isn't a small incident. Who were the casualties?"

"The Sanada Ninth Seat was killed. I heard the Third Seat of the Thirteenth Division also died."

Sanada was promoted to Ninth Seat after Gaoyu. Gaoyu hadn't even had a chance to obtain his Soul Ability before he died.

And the Third Seat of the Thirteenth Division...

Shiba Miyako?

The Shinigami who died at the hands of Metastacia in the original story, the wife of Shiba Kaien, she actually died in the end?

Is this what they call historical inertia?

He himself defeated Metastacia, yet she still met with disaster?

Gaoyu didn't understand what was going on, but he knew that if something bad happened, Aizen was the one to blame.

It was all Aizen's fault.

Gaoyu bid farewell to Momo, and walked into Aizen's office.

Aizen was reading the latest issue of Seireitei Communications.

Gaoyu's released work, "Thousand-Year Blood War," had been published three months ago and had already serialized thirteen chapters.

It had now reached the part where the protagonist, 'Akaboshi Gamma,' gathered a group of companions to fight against a werewolf who had fallen into the animal path, all to help his navigator.

"If you write it like this, Captain Komamura will be unhappy."

Aizen said as soon as Gaoyu entered.

"It's fine," Gaoyu replied. "It's not like there won't be any good werewolves. I'm even planning to have a werewolf join the protagonist's group later on."

"Alright, let's not talk about that." Gaoyu sat down opposite Aizen and asked, "I heard something happened last night. What's going on?"

Aizen continued to look at Seireitei Communications, saying, "I only know the general outline. It seems the Third Seat of the Thirteenth Division, Shiba Miyako, discovered a strange Hollow."

"She was too confident, thinking she could handle it, and ultimately died by its blade."